GB1595615A

GB1595615A - Camoflaged vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB1595615A
Application number: GB2079/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: FERRIS C K
Current assignee: FERRIS C K
Priority date: 1978-01-18
Filing date: 1978-01-18
Publication date: 1981-08-12
Also published as: FR2416446A1; DE2805864A1

Description

(54) A CAMOUFLAGED VEHICLE (71) I, CARLISLE KEITH FERRIS, a Citizen of the United States of America, of 50 Moraine Road, Morris Plains, New Jersey 07950, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a vehicle having camouflage or deceptive coatings thereon for the purpose of hiding, or confusing the enemy.

The use of camouflage for military vehicles, such as aircraft, ships, rockets, tanks, trucks and the like is well known. World War I aircraft, surface vessels including ships and tanks used various camouflage techniques. In later wars, the techniques were developed with various paint schemes to dazzle or confuse the eyes. Mackay 1,305,296 was an early patent showing a technique for rendering objects less visible by using multi-colors in splotch fashion.

Brush et al 715,013 was an even earlier development using three basic colors in which the darkest color was placed on the top of the vessel with subsequent use of lighter colors on the lower surfaces of the vessel. The idea in general was to kill the contrast of light and shade.

More recently, Barclay 2,190,691 and Robson 2,292,848 show various techniques for camouflaging vessels including aircraft for the purpose of confusing the enemy so as to make it difficult for him to determine actual size and shape of a moving body.

There are many other publications in the area of camouflage including U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings Publications of July, 1971 which provide photographs of various surface ships and varying camouflage techniques, most of which provide "dazzle" effects.

When an object is viewed against the sky, things grow smaller in size with distance and they also grow progressively lighter in value and less distinct or more grey in color. The effect of sun or other light sources on surfaces cause problems with reflected light and shadow as they form over the object.

It is an object of this invention to provide a camouflaged vehicle on which the camouflage will delay visual acquisition by the enemy and make continued visual contact difficult once acquired.

In this specification the term vehicle is to be taken to mean any military vehicle or object in any shape or form and includes any type of aircraft or ship, rockets, tanks and trucks.

According to the present invention there is provided a camouflaged vehicle comprising: upper and lower surfaces and having a plurality of visually contrasting surface coatings thereon, said surface coatings having lines of demarcation therebetween, and comprise one light and one dark coating, said dark coating being on a major portion of the upper surface of said vehicle, said light coating being on a major portion of the lower surface of said vehicle, substantially all of the lines of demarcation of said coatings when viewed from the side of said vehicle extending in a direction generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, and substantially all of the lines of demarcation of said coatings when viewed from above the vehicle being generally diagonal with respect to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle and substantially all of said lines of demarcation extending in a direction from one end to the other along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

Therefore there is provided a camouflaged vehicle, as hereinbefore defined, in which the camouflage serves to disguise the type of vehicle as to its type and identity, the attitude, the angle, and the actual direction of the vehicle, impair the estimation of range and speed, and delay recognition of the actions of the vehicle by disruption of visual clues. Therefore, the camouflage on the camouflaged vehicle will prompt indecision and induce mistakes on the part of an opponent.

While the camouflage on a camouflaged vehicle is primarily present to cause confusion it also asists in concealment of the vehicle. 'I'he camouflage is such as to cause the eyes to fix themselves on false lines of demarcation, thereby causing them to lose sight of true lines of demarcation.

Preferably, the camouflage on the camouflaged vehicle uses basically three coatings of varying contrasts from light to dark, which may be flat coatings including such coatings as dark, medium and light grey.

Preferably, the lines of demarcation of the camouflage are somewhat irregular but when viewed from the side follow the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and when viewed from the top or bottom are diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

When applied to an aircraft for example the camouflage breaks up the leading and trailing edges of the wings and vertical and horizontal stabilizers with bites out of the darker coatings.

The bites can be rectangular or triangular bites to the leading and trailing edges of the wings and stabilizers and are of contrasting coatings to those immediately adjacent thereto.

Preferably, an aircraft can be provided with a false cockpit canopy on the underside of the aircraft in the direct line position of the real cockpit-canopy.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the camouflaged vehicle is provided with coatings which are contrasted not only visually, but by their anti-infrared character are difficult to view with special electronic equipment and which will tend to confuse or otherwise break up reflected rays picked up by such equipment and translated thereby.

The camouflaged vehicle of the present invention therefore has camouflage which avoids the weaknesses of the present "plug-type" camouflage schemes thereby to disrupt the outline of the vehicle.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example various embodiments of this invention: FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one aspect of camouflage coating; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing camouflage coating application to various curved surfaces on an aircraft; FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are diagrammatic perspective views of the left and right sides respectively of the diagram shown in FIG. 2; FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are respectively the top and bottom plan views and left and right side elevation views of a camouflaged vehicle of this invention in the form of an aircraft; FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are respectively the top and bottom plan views and the left and right side elevation views of a modified version of the camouflaged vehicle of this invention in the form of an aircraft.

FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 are respectively the left side elevation view and the top and bottom plan views of a further modified version of the camouflaged vehicle of this invention in the form of an aircraft.

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the tail portion of an aircraft having two vertical stabilizers being a modified version of the camouflaged vehicle of this invention.

In FIG. 1, the circular area to the left of figure diagrammatically shows a fuselage F in cross-section. Diagrammatically to the right, we note the fuselage from the side. The coatings on the fuselage are indicated as dark, medium and light. The coatings may be painted, anodized, laminated or otherwise applied to the surface of the aircraft, or other type of air or surface vehicle. The coatings may be of any type of paint, dye or other material.

They may be colors but it is preferred that the dark coating be a dark grey, that the medium coating be a medium grey and the light coating be a light grey. In general, three shades or colors are applied, however, in an emergency, two different coatings may be applied, namely, a dark coating and a light coating with substantial contrast therebetween.

In FIG. 1, the horizontal is generally indi cated at 2 and the lines of demarcation between the shades or colors, are generally indicated at 4 and 6. It is to be noted that the lines of demarcation 4 and 6, though irregular, extend generally in the direction of horizontal 2 which is generally in the direction of the longi tudinal axis of the aircraft. The lines 4 and 6 are of unequal lengths following in general the principle that no two items on the object on which the camouflage system is used are camouflaged in an identical fashion. It is to be noted that pairs of short lines comprising lines 4 and 6 form scallops 8 and 10 which are in effect bites of light coatings L into the dark and medium coatings D and M. The lines 4 and 6 as shown in FIG. 1 are sharply definitive and are provided with hard edges.Though scallops may be curved, it is preferred that they be angular and without soft or rounded peaks and valleys as this adds to difficulty in perceiv ing form. The dark shades or colors in contrast to the light or medium shades or colors are applied on the top surface of the fuselage F.

The purpose is to kill the highlights and to lessen the reflectivity. It is preferred that flat rather than gloss paints be used. It will be noted, that the 90 vertical line 12 which extends above and below the horizontal line 2 enables one to determine the height to which the scallops extend into the darker shade or color. Thus, the scallops will extend from 0 to 30 above or below the horizontal as indicated. It will thus be seen that on aircraft, the preferred medium grey flat paint will be on a substantial portion of the bottom of the aircraft and the preferred dark grey flat paint will be on a substantial portion of the top of the aircraft. The light grey flat paint will be generally applied along the side surfaces between the dark and medium flat greys.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, it will be noted that wherever there are convex surfaces 14 the color scheme in general will be dark. As will be subsequently described, the major portion of the upper surface of the aircraft and preferably approximately about two-thirds, will be painted dark. The remaining minor portion of the aircraft or approximately one-third will be painted with lighter paints such as the light and medium greys. The under surface or bottom of the aircraft or vehicle will have the lighter shades or colors and the medium or light shades will vary from approximately 40% to approximately 60% of the bottom of the aircraft, though the preferred scheme would be approximately about 50% of the light or medium paints or coatings.

It should be noted that all upper horizontal flat surfaces 15 will in general have the dark flat color or shade thereon The application of the dark or medium color to the aircraft as a rule applied to the major curved surfaces of the aircraft.

The concave surfaces 16, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, have applied to them a dark or medium coating as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. In these instances, the coatings form scallops which extend on either side of a horizontal line such as 17 and 19 respectively, a distance of from 60 to 90" from above or below the horizontal lines 17 and 19 as the case may be depending upon whether the concave surface is on the top or on the bottom of the aircraft as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In FIGS. 5 through 8, an aircraft 20 has a cockpit-canopy 22 and is provided with wings 24 and 26, horizontal stabilizers 28 and 30, and a vertical stabilizer 32. Engine air scoops 34 and 36 are shown in advance of the wings 24 and 26.

In FIG. 6, a detail cockpit-canopy 38 similar to cockpit-canopy 22 is painted on the under portion or bottom of the aircraft 20.

The camouflage scheme is painted or otherwise affixed to the aircraft 20 as illustrated with the dark colors on the upper surface of the aircraft approximately two-third of the total surface area as illustrated in FIG. 5 with the medium and light shades or colors covering the other one-third of the upper surface of the aircraft. The dark coloration is indicated by D, the intermediate coating is indicated at M, and the light coating is indicated at L. It will be noted that the detail of the cockpit-canopy 38 will be painted dark on the bottom of the aircraft. It will be further noted, that the lines of demarcation 40, 42 and 44 are substantially parallel to each other and extend diagonally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft.Wherever there is a bite 46, 48 or 50 from the leading or trailing edge of the aircraft, it will be noted that the lines intersecting lines 40, 42 and 44 along the other edge of the bites 46, 48 and 50 will be substantially parallel.

In order to provide substantial contrast and to maintain the rule that no two surfaces look alike, the intermediate coating M is applied to the surfaces of the intake 36 and the bites 46, 48 and 50.

In order to provide contrast, occasionally, a line of demarcation such as lines 58 and 60 will extend somewhat diagonally but run in the same direction as lines of demarcation 40, 42 and 44. It is important that the shade or color next to the dark area D be the intermediate color or shade M.

The bottom of the aircraft is provided with intermediate color scheme M as shown having lines of demarcation 62 and 64 which are parallel to each other and diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. Where bites 66 and 68 are taken from the portion of the leading or trailing edges of the wings 24 or the horizontal stabilizer 28, the other edge of the bite will have lines of demarcation 70 and 72 which are generally parallel.

In accordance with the scheme as illustrated and described for FIGS. 1 through 4, the side elevation views of the aircraft FIGS. 7 and 8, will have scallops extending from front to rear of the aircraft. It will be noted that the lines of demarcation 74 and 76 in general appear to run from front to rear along the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. The scallops formed in the lines, are shown to have matching lines extending in a parallel relationship as illustrated by lines 78 and 80.

Bites 82 and 83 on the vertical stabilizer 32 are taken from the leading and trailing edge thereof. Wherever possible, lines 84 and 85 are parallel as illustrated.

In FIGS. 9 through 12, the same aircraft illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 8 is shown with a slightly modified camouflage scheme. It will be noted, that in this version, the one-third two-third light to dark system is applied to the upper surface of the aircraft 20 and the 40 to 60% light to medium is applied to the lower or bottom surface of the aircraft 20.

The primary difference in the scheme illustrated in these figures is that the lines of demarcation 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 92, 94 and 96 are zigzag though portions of these lines of demarcation extend parallel to other lines and diagonally across the surface of the aircraft with respect to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft 20.

It will also be noted that the lines of demarcation 96, 98 and 100 of the scalloped effect are softer and somewhat curved but still extend along the longitudinal axis of the aircraft.

It should also be noted that rectangular bites 102, 104, 106, 108, and 110 are used with triangular bites 112, 114, 116, 118 and 120.

In general, the dark D, medium M and light L shadings are as shown.

In FIGS 13 through 15, the aircraft 122 follows the scheme aforementioned for the aircraft shown in the previous figures. The coating scheme is illustrated by the light L, dark D, and intermediate shade M. Where engine nacelle 124, 125, 126 and 127 are added as in FIGS. 14 and 15, a pattern is used to break up the visual perception in that nacelle 124 is light, nacelle 125 is dark, and nacelle 126 and 127 are medium shades.

FIG. 16 illustrates an aircaft having two vertical stabilizers 128 and 129. In order to produce confusion and to make the stabilizers appear as one when viewed at a perspective angle, the pattern painted on stabilizer 128 is substantially reversed on stabilizer 129. Note, for example that bite 130 on the vertical stabilizer 125 is at the trailing edge of the stabilizer and that the bite 131 is on the leading edge of the stabilizer 129. Note also the reversal of the color schemes, whereby the bite 131 is dark whereas the bite 130 is light. The balance of the stabilizers are also reversed in color scheme or shade. In the instance shown, the dark and light combination is illustrated. Where there are more than two stabilizers, the stabilizers on either side of the central stabilizer will be dissimilar.

To summarize, it will be noted in addition to the above, that for the aircraft shown, the light L and dark D coatings are major portions of the sides of the aircraft, vessel, vehicle or the like, whereas the third or intermediate coating M is a minor portion of the sides.

Generally, where stabilizers or wings or the like are a portion of the object camouflaged, at least a portion of one of the coatings includes a triangular bite from a portion of another of said coatings.

As aforenoted, the light and third or intermediate coats L and M may vary with respect to each other and constitute from about 40 /O to 60% of the bottom of the aircraft and preferably about 50%. Additionally, the wingtips of aircraft should have dissimilar coatings.

The degree of coating on the top or bottom surfaces as described angularly in FIGS. 1 to 4 can also be generally stated as a coating extending on the curved surfaces from about 10 o'clock to about 2 o'clock for a major portion of its length. Where two coatings only are used, the general rules for the dark coating apply with the balance being the light coating.

In general, for determining the area of scalloping, as in the case of a curved surface of less than a full arc of 90 , the horizontal is determined by the transition line between it, and the next adjacent surface which may be the beginning of a flat surface or a curved surface in the reverse direction, or a curved surface in the same direction, having a different arc. In some instances, there may be no curved surface and the upper or lower surfaces of the aircraft or other vehicle may have downwardly or upwardly sloping flat surfaces respectively. The horizontal in these instances is determined as in the case of curved surface by the transition point between it and the next adjacent surface.If however, the flat surface is at an angle of more than 60 above the horizontal, it should be coated with a light coating, not a dark or medium, since as a general rule, vertical or nearly vertical surfaces are generally light and horizontal surfaces dark or medium.

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A camouflaged vehicle comprising: upper and lower surfaces and having a plurality of visually contrasting surface coatings thereon, said surface coatings having lines of demarcation therebetween, and comprise one light and one dark coating, said dark coating being on a major portion of the upper surface of said vehicle, said light coating being on a major portion of the lower surface of said vehicle, substantially all of the lines of demarcation of said coatings when viewed from the side of said vehicle extending in a direction generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of said vehicle and substantially all of the lines of demarcation of said coatings when viewed from above the vehicle being generally diagonal with respect to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle and substantially all of said lines of demarcation extending in a direction from one end to the other along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

2. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 1 and wherein: said plurality of coatings include a third coating intermediate in contrast to said light and dark coatings, said upper surface and lower surface of said vehicle including the top and the bottom respectively of said vehicle, and said third coating being on a minor portion of said top and a major portion of said bottom of said vehicle.

3. A camouflaged vehicle as claimed in Claim 2 and wherein: said light coating is a minor portion of said top of said vehicle.

4. A vehicle as claimed in Calim 2 and wherein said upper and lower surfaces of said vehicle include said sides of said vehicle, said light and dark coatings are a major portion of the sides of said vehicle, and said third coating is a minor portion of the sides of said vehicle.

5. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 1 and wherein said lines of demarcation are substantially straight.

6. A camouflaged vehicle as claimed in Claim 1 and wherein said lines of demarcation include at least one zigzag.

7. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said lines of demarcation run in a plurality of sets of parallel lines.

8. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein at least one of said surfaces includes a series of

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. In general, the dark D, medium M and light L shadings are as shown. In FIGS 13 through 15, the aircraft 122 follows the scheme aforementioned for the aircraft shown in the previous figures. The coating scheme is illustrated by the light L, dark D, and intermediate shade M. Where engine nacelle 124, 125, 126 and 127 are added as in FIGS. 14 and 15, a pattern is used to break up the visual perception in that nacelle 124 is light, nacelle 125 is dark, and nacelle 126 and 127 are medium shades. FIG. 16 illustrates an aircaft having two vertical stabilizers 128 and 129. In order to produce confusion and to make the stabilizers appear as one when viewed at a perspective angle, the pattern painted on stabilizer 128 is substantially reversed on stabilizer 129. Note, for example that bite 130 on the vertical stabilizer 125 is at the trailing edge of the stabilizer and that the bite 131 is on the leading edge of the stabilizer 129. Note also the reversal of the color schemes, whereby the bite 131 is dark whereas the bite 130 is light. The balance of the stabilizers are also reversed in color scheme or shade. In the instance shown, the dark and light combination is illustrated. Where there are more than two stabilizers, the stabilizers on either side of the central stabilizer will be dissimilar. To summarize, it will be noted in addition to the above, that for the aircraft shown, the light L and dark D coatings are major portions of the sides of the aircraft, vessel, vehicle or the like, whereas the third or intermediate coating M is a minor portion of the sides. Generally, where stabilizers or wings or the like are a portion of the object camouflaged, at least a portion of one of the coatings includes a triangular bite from a portion of another of said coatings. As aforenoted, the light and third or intermediate coats L and M may vary with respect to each other and constitute from about 40 /O to 60% of the bottom of the aircraft and preferably about 50%. Additionally, the wingtips of aircraft should have dissimilar coatings. The degree of coating on the top or bottom surfaces as described angularly in FIGS. 1 to 4 can also be generally stated as a coating extending on the curved surfaces from about 10 o'clock to about 2 o'clock for a major portion of its length. Where two coatings only are used, the general rules for the dark coating apply with the balance being the light coating. In general, for determining the area of scalloping, as in the case of a curved surface of less than a full arc of 90 , the horizontal is determined by the transition line between it, and the next adjacent surface which may be the beginning of a flat surface or a curved surface in the reverse direction, or a curved surface in the same direction, having a different arc. In some instances, there may be no curved surface and the upper or lower surfaces of the aircraft or other vehicle may have downwardly or upwardly sloping flat surfaces respectively. The horizontal in these instances is determined as in the case of curved surface by the transition point between it and the next adjacent surface.If however, the flat surface is at an angle of more than 60 above the horizontal, it should be coated with a light coating, not a dark or medium, since as a general rule, vertical or nearly vertical surfaces are generally light and horizontal surfaces dark or medium. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A camouflaged vehicle comprising: upper and lower surfaces and having a plurality of visually contrasting surface coatings thereon, said surface coatings having lines of demarcation therebetween, and comprise one light and one dark coating, said dark coating being on a major portion of the upper surface of said vehicle, said light coating being on a major portion of the lower surface of said vehicle, substantially all of the lines of demarcation of said coatings when viewed from the side of said vehicle extending in a direction generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of said vehicle and substantially all of the lines of demarcation of said coatings when viewed from above the vehicle being generally diagonal with respect to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle and substantially all of said lines of demarcation extending in a direction from one end to the other along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

scallops extending in a direction from front to rear of said vehicle along lines of demarcation.

9. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 8 wherein said scallops each include a pair of lines of different length.

10. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said scallops in a series include from 3 to 9 scallops.

11. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said scallops are located on longitudinally extending curved surfaces having an arc of approximately 90" from the horizontal.

12. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 11, wherein said scallops begin at the horizontal of an arc about 90" to the vertical and peak at about 30 above or below said horizontal and said curved surface is convex.

13. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 11, wherein said scallops are on the upper surface of said vehicle.

14. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 11, wherein said scallops are on the lower surface of said vehicle.

15. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 11, wherein said scallops are on the upper and lower surfaces of said vehicle and said scallops are in opposed relation to each other.

16. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 12, wherein said scallops are of said light coating.

17. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said lower surface includes a series of scallops extending in a direction from front to rear of said aircraft along lines of demarcation.

18. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 17, wherein said scallops are of said light coating and cut out of said third coating.

19. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 9, wherein said scallops in a series include 7 scallops.

20. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said light coating is light matt grey, said dark coating is dark matt grey, and said third coating is a matt intermediate between said matt light and matt dark grey.

21. A vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said vehicle is an aircraft and said aircraft includes vertical and horizontal stabilizers, and said stabilizers include a plurality of visually contrasting coatings including one dark and one light coating having lines of demarcation therebetween, and at least a portion of one of said coatings including a triangular bite from a portion of another of said coating on said stabilizers.

22. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 21, wherein said bite is from the leading edge or trailing edge of said stabilizers.

23. A vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said dark coating comprises approximately 2/3 of said upper surface.

24. A vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein said light coating comprises approximately 1/3 of said upper surface.

25. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 21 wherein said aircraft includes a pair of vertical stabilizers, and a coating scheme on one vertical stabilizer the reverse of the coating scheme on the other.

26. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said light and third coatings each vary with respect to each other from 40% to 60% of said bottom of said vehicle.

27. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said light and third coatings each are approximately 50 /, of the bottom of said vehicle.

28. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said vehicle is an aircraft and said aircraft includes a cockpit-canopy and said lower surface of said aircraft in the special position of said cockpit-canopy includes a painted-on simulated cockpit-canopy.

29. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said vehicle is an aircraft and said bottom of said aircraft includes a cockpit-canopy design printed thereon.

30. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said vehicle is an aircraft and said aircraft includes wings having wingtips and said opposite wingtips have dissimilar coatings.

31. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft including a fuselage including upper and lower surfaces and wherein, said upper surface of said fuselage includes a dark coating from approximately 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock for a major portion of its length.

32. A vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said coatings each have different anti-infrared reflectivities.

33. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said third coating on said top of said upper surface is located adjacent said dark coating.

34. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 33, wherein said light coating is adjacent said third coating and said third coating is intermediate said light and dark coatings.

35. A vehicle as claimed in Claim 11, wherein said scallops have their beginning at the horizontal of an arc about 90" to vertical and peak at about 60 above or below said horizontal and said curved surface is concave.

36. A camouflaged vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figure 1 or Figures 2 to 4, or Figures 5 to 8, or Figures 9 to 12, or Figures 13 to 15 or Figure 16 of the accompanying drawings.